Preliminary pilot studies have shown that giving insulin slows or possibly stops the destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas - the islet cells. Type I diabetes occurs when the islet cells no longer produce enough insulin to convert food to fuel for the body. The destruction of enough insulin producing cells to cause clinical diabetes can take months to years. This allows researchers time to identify those at high risk and try interventions to stop the autoimmune process that destroys the islet cells.